How often should I floss my teeth?

04 July 2014

How often should I floss my teeth?

If your dentist requires you to do interdental cleaning as part of your daily personal dental hygiene, they may advise you to use dental floss. Dental floss is a thin, soft, and elastic fibre usually made of nylon or plastic. Floss fibre itself is typically white and either plain or mint flavoured, but now it’s available in a variety of flavours, even unusual ones like bacon, cola, and Indian curry. The main purpose of dental floss is removing food particles and plaque stuck in between your teeth.

Flossing your teeth is highly recommended as a part of your daily personal dental hygiene routine, just like brushing your teeth. Floss your teeth both in the morning and in the evening to help keep your teeth clean and free from plaque. That means flossing twice daily.

Why is flossing important? Those who do not floss regularly miss cleaning 35-40% of a tooth’s surface area. By flossing your teeth, you are able to clean those hidden areas that are hard to reach with a regular toothbrush. Flossing helps to effectively remove food particles and plaque trapped in between teeth. Plaque is sticky debris stuck in your teeth that’s made of bacteria. If you allow it to build up over time, the bacteria can irritate your gums leading to inflammation or swelling gums. Flossing then is a preventive measure that prevents you from getting gum disease and also effectively keeps your teeth from decaying rapidly.

If you haven’t flossed your teeth for a long time or never at all, you may notice that your gums feel tender. Sometimes, there’s even bleeding when any plaque build up is removed. That’s normal considering you haven’t used dental floss for a long time, and the new force applied to the corners and edges of your teeth may irritate your teeth a little. However, if you faithfully observe flossing as part of your daily personal dental hygiene routine, the bleeding would eventually stop as your teeth gets used to it and your gums become healthier. Do take note that if the bleeding persists after a few days, you should make an appointment to see your dentist. Your dentist would be able to determine the problem, especially whether you’re flossing correctly or not. If you’re flossing incorrectly, it may damage your gums. Let your dentist or dental hygienist demonstrate to you the proper way of flossing. Flossing between every single tooth is a must for it to be effective. Also remember to floss the side of your teeth at the back of your mouth.

If you find flossing difficult, it’s recommended that you try using a floss holder, also known as a flosser or floss wand. The floss holder holds the floss in place for you as you use it. A lot of people find it helpful. Floss holders can be easily bought from supermarkets and pharmacists. If after this you still find flossing difficult, consult your dentist so they can provide you with other alternatives to cleaning between your teeth like using an interdental brush.